1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system, and more specifically to a method and system for providing an energy efficient computer management environment via tightly integrated target device status and directed work sessions.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a computer management environment, one or more central servers or controllers are used to manage a plurality (and often a large number) of other computers called “targets”. Target devices can be any type of computer device, including personal computer systems, servers, workstations, mainframes, peripherals, network devices, etc. The servers perform work on the multiple target devices within a network by interrogating, configuring, controlling, or otherwise communicating with the target devices.
The central servers typically use one of two data handling architectures, push and pull, to perform work on the multiple target devices. In a pull-based architecture, the target devices control the flow of data from the servers and pull work from one or more servers. In a push-based architecture, a server controls the flow of work to a client and pushes work out to a large number of target devices. Push-based architectures have different challenges and solutions from pull-based architectures, as well as from peer-to-peer environments where targets will spread work amongst themselves.
In many situations, the connection to a target device may not be completed because the target device is unavailable or not responsive to the server's requests. Computer maintenance is typically implemented during nighttime hours since the load on the target devices is usually minimal at that time. If a target device has been turned off at night to conserve energy, the target device will not be available to the server for the maintenance operation. Similarly, if the target device is a laptop computer, the device may not be available to the server if the user takes the device home or otherwise disconnects the device from the network. While computer management environments have always needed to be tolerant of these unreliable networks, as the cost of computer laptops decrease and the cost of energy increases, what was previously a small percentage of unreliable systems in a computer management environment is now becoming the norm as more and more users turn off or disconnect their target computer devices during typical maintenance hours to conserve energy.